Early 1900s

Q: The enclosed picture is of a chair that originally was one of a set of six or eight dining room chairs that has been in our family since before the Civil War; we still have three of them.We would like to know who made this style and in what city were they made.A: This chair would be classified as transitional between Empire and Victorian. It was made in the 1850-1870 period and would probably sell for $175 to $200.It is virtually impossible to tell in what city unmarked furniture was made.

Q: This is a picture of our oak kitchen cabinet. I would like to know who manufactured it, date of manufacture and current retail value.A: Since your kitchen cabinet is unmarked, it is impossible to identify the maker; it was made in the early 1900s and would probably sell in an antique shop for $800 to $900 in good condition.Q: The attached mark is on the bottom of a hatpin holder that is 6 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter. It is fine porcelain and hand painted with daisies and poppies.

Q: This Royal Doulton jardiniere on a pedestal is marked Rd. No. 37487 and Rd. No. 38366. Please advise as to age and value.A: Your jardiniere on a pedestal was made in Burslem, England, between 1920 and 1940. It would probably sell for about $500 to $600.Q: This mark is on the bottom of a 12-inch bowl with a picture of a man and woman in old-fashioned clothes. The edge is trimmed with rose and yellow borders. Can you tell who made it, when, and its value?A: This porcelain bowl was made by the C. Tielsch Co. in Altwasser, Germany, during the late 1800s.

Q: We assume that this is an authentic railroad lantern because my uncle used to work for the railroad. It still works. The top is marked "DIETZ"; the glass is red and the rim is marked "BLIZZARD."What is its value, and should I remove the yellow paint?A: This is basically a utility lantern but was probably used on the railroad. It was made in the early 20th century and might sell for $65 to $75.A serious collector would object to the yellow paint.Q: This mark is on the bottom of each piece of a porcelain dresser set. It consists of a hatpin holder, hair receiver and powder jar, decorated with poppies and foliage.

A five-alarm fire burned out of control for 90 minutes early yesterday, heavily damaging a West Baltimore warehouse owned by a company that manufactures braking equipment for vintage trains. Flames were shooting through the 30-foot-high roof of the wooden building when firefighters arrived about 6:30 a.m. The cause had not been determined yesterday. The 60-foot-long building, nestled in the middle of an industrial complex in Rosemont, was part of a complex owned by ABC Naco Rail Products Corp.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Salvatore A. Longo, a retired Pentagon budget analyst, died of Alzheimer's disease Thursday at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home in Baltimore. He was 77.Colonel Longo joined the Army in 1941 and was assigned to an amphibious unit in Europe during World War II.After the war, he attended officer candidate school in France and later served as a transportation officer at Fort Holabird, a budget adviser for the 2nd Army at Fort Meade and a Pentagon budget analyst, retiring from that post in 1980.

Q: Enclosed is a picture of an old rocking chair. It appears to have the original finish and all original parts.I would appreciate your comments in regard to its origin, age and value.A: This is an American Windsor-type rocker that was made in the early 1800s. It would probably sell for $500 to $600.Q: This mark is on the bottom of my set of china. It is an 82-piece service for 12 decorated with flowers around the edge and a line of gold on the rim.Can you tell me anything about the maker and what this set of china would be worth?

U.S. Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton visited Annapolis yesterday to turn over the keys to the historic Thomas Point Lighthouse to a coalition of government and nonprofit groups. The 129-year-old beacon is the first Maryland lighthouse to be transferred out of Coast Guard ownership under a federal program approved by Congress four years ago. As lighthouse lovers and relatives of former keepers cheered and clapped, Norton signed the paperwork that gives Annapolis possession of Thomas Point, the only lighthouse of its kind in its original location in the United States.

TAKING A STEP back in time will provide family activities for a local community and extra income for a senior activity center. West End Place, a Westminster nonprofit organization that provides day care for senior citizens, has planned a May Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 5 at its facility, 7 Schoolhouse Ave. Organizers thought of the idea when they realized that May Day celebrations at their facility, the former West End Elementary School,...

Q: Enclosed is a picture of a jug that is marked "Doulton -- Lambeth -- Rd. No. 4818." It is decorated with a ship with the head of a wolf on the sail. Above the ship is the word "Special," below is "Highland Whisky." Would this be considered a collector's item? What is its value? When was it made?A: This is definitely a collector's item. The British Registry number indicates that the design was registered in 1884; it could have been made several years after that date. It is listed in Warman's "English & Continental Pottery & Porcelain" at $75.Q: The enclosed mark is on the bottom of a covered jar. It is 9 inches high and is decorated with seashells and seaweed.